Tōshō-gū shrine erupts with gold leaf and carved dragons amid towering cedars. Nearby, waterfalls crash through autumn gorges and hot springs steam in the cold mountain air. Nikkō is where Japan's baroque impulse meets raw nature.
What Nikkō is known for
Top-rated in Nikkō
Kokamon Gate
4.7landmark
Iemitsu’s mausoleum, in which his physical remains are interred, lies beyond this gate.
Mt. Tanigawa
4.7nature
1,977-meter peak in northern Gunma, highest in Tanigawa range, one of Japan's 100 famous fiendishly difficult climbs.
Takaragawa Onsen
4.7onsen
Remote riverside open-air baths surrounded by mountain forest, among Japan's finest rotenburo.
Mashiko Folk Pottery Workshop
4.7craft
Drop-in Mashiko pottery studio, no reservation needed for hand-building with local clay and glazes.
Nikko Toshogu complex
4.5landmark
Yudaki Falls
4.5nature
The Yugawa River flows out of Lake Yunoko, cascades down Yudaki Falls, continues south through Senjōgahara, and eventually drains into Lake Chūzenji.
Honda Collection Hall
4.6museum
Motorsport museum at Twin Ring Motegi displaying Honda's racing heritage from motorcycles to Formula 1 cars.
Oze National Park
4.6nature
Japan's most extensive highland marshlands with wooden boardwalks through wetlands, alpine flowers, and autumn foliage.